Track rail for curved stage scenes



. M. HASAI T. TRACK RAIL FOR CURVED TAGE SCENES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 27, 1922.

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APPLICATION FILED JAN. 27, 1922.

Patented Nov. 14,1922.

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M. HASAIT.

TRACK RAIL FOR cURVED STAGE SCENES. APPLlCATlON FlLED JAN. 27.' 1922.

353% 7 Patenta& Nov. 14; 1922 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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TRACK RAIL FOR CURVED .STAGE SCENES.. APPLICATION HLEB JAN.21, 1922. ,4 35,390. V PatentedNov. 14, 1922.

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0' v FEEL Patented Nov 14, 19223,

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MAX mesme, oF nansnan, GEBMANY, ASSIGNOB-TO AKTIEBLAGET aas, OF v s'rooKHoLr/r, swnnnu'a connoaaron.- 4

TEACK BAIL ton cUavEn STAGE scenes.

Application filed January 27, 1922. Serial No. 53232 8.

TO (all whom may con/cem Be it known that I, MAX HASAIT, citizen of Germany, residing at Dresden, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Track Bails for Curved Stage Scenes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a track 'rail for curtains or screens in theatres, cinemat0-` graph halls or the like, adapted to bel-" luminated by reflectors or projecting apparatus of any kind, and which must present a surface free' from folds or creases. An object of the invention is to obtain a noiseless wnding and unwinding ot the scenes or curtains, while at the same time the formation'of folds thereon is impossible.

Another object consists in arranging the' track rail in suchmanner that parts of .the scenery or the theatre machinery in general may be introduced or ,moved within the space occupied by said track rail. To this end the supporting machinery or track rails is wholly or partly mounted in an adjustable manner in all directions, for instance it may be wholly or partly raised or dropped towards the floor of the stage or removed altogether from the'stage. At the same time the ropes. leather straps, chains or the like provided in the track rail and (affecting the movements of the scenes or curtains are so arranged that they may remain in the rail during the adjustment, raising or dropping of the same Besides` ,two or more track rails may he placed at different distances from the stage opening and adjustable in such'manner, that the curtain or screen may be drawnforward upon a greater or smaller effected by anv means, tor' instance the rail may be provided at suitable points with hinges or the like so located that 'the rear portion of the rail in the form of half an' ellipse may be dropped into a vertical position, the space occupied my said portion be-j parts of the theatre ing accessible for other m a chnery;

The ropes, leather straps, chains or the like may be retained in the track rail during the adjustment of the same by the ropes 'or the like being provided at suitable points with jonts adapted to be undone by means of :cope jontsw The invention is illustrated inthe accompanyng drawmgs n which v Fig. I is a front elevation of a track rail constructed accordin to the invention. Figj II is a plan thereot. Fig; III is a cross-` section of the track rail to a greater scale. Fig. IV illustrates a side view in section on line C- D in Fig. V of a modifiedform of the invention comprising two track i'ails,

onelocated behind the other; Fig. V represents a 'plan view of this 'modified form. Eigs VI and V H show to a' greater scale and in different positions mechanisms for Operating parts of the track rail.` Figs. VIII is aplan View thereof. Figs. IX and X illustrate a side View and a plan viewrespectively of i still another embodiment of the invention.

Figs. XI and XII are detail views.

Referrng to Figs l to III the track rail comprises a curved portionlsomewhat in the .form of halfan ellpse, and two 'straight shanks. By meansof adjustable suspension rods a the rail is Suspended from the ceiling b of the stage in such a manner 'that the rail slopes a little towards the back wall c of the stage, which the audience faces. By means of stay rods (Z` the rail is connected with the back wall c which therefore receives the` tensile stresses of the rope `(affecting the movements of the curtain or screen.

rope runs in a longtudinal channel cin the position ofthe rail the curtain stretched by gravity so as to form a surface 'without folds. Therope of the curtain is consider-` ably longer than the latter. The end' of the rope where the curtaincommences is ,atta'ched to a concal drum (i whchemay ro tate about a vertical axis and in the known manner be moved axially a distance corresponding' to the thickness of the rope for each revolution of the drum. The shank of the track rail directed towards' the said drum is movable horizontally about a hinge h and is moved for instanoe by means of 'a gear connected with the-sha'ft'in the known manner automat cally in correspondence to the slope of the sideLSur-face of the drum g,

so as to cause the track rope to be Wound and unwound in a correct manner. The other end of the rope passes over a roller i to a drum 76. By turning this drum the curtain is unwound from the drum g and draWn into the track rail. By turning the drum g the curtain is again pulled out of the track rail and Wound on to the latter drum. p

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figs. IV and V the eilipse-shaped portion of the track rail may be raised and lowered so as to allow parte of the scenerg, or 'the machinery to be introducen and moved within the space occupied of said eiipse-shaped portions.

Besides, said figures iilustrate the use of two different track raiis one A placed nearer the stage opening than the other one B.

1 is the conical drum onto which the rope, leather strap, chain or the like actuatingthe curtain or screen is Wound, and 2 is the 'door of the upper machinery. The 'front track rail A is provided With hinges 3 and 4 by means of which the ellipse-shaped portion of said track-rail may be iowered to the vertical position indicated in Fig. IV by dotted lines and raised to the position shown in full draWn lines. The raising and iowering of said track rail portion is eiected by the aid of a windlass 5 placed On. the floor 2 and connected at the points 2 8 and 10 with the movabie track rail portionhy ropes 6. The rope 7 actuating the scenes or curtans from the drum 71 though the track rail a, and, round a guiding roller 8 to a Winding` drum 9. A similar movement of the eiiipseshaped portion of the rear track rail B be eii ected by means of; hinges 11, 12 a Windiass l3'and ropes 15. After the eHipse-sh aped portions have been lowered, the ropes 6 15 are lowered to the stage floor and the rope joints connecting the same With said portions are disconnected, Whereupon the ropes are hoisted up to the upper machinery. The rope .16 actuating the curtain or screen When connected with track rail E from the drum l through said track raii and round roiiers 17 to the winding drum In V V the track raiis are so positions&

.1 or screen passes through the iai ra hy means of the rope 16. sc nes to be passed throu h the fore 'track rail A, aus eiifeeted i the fo1- lowing manner iliustrated in Figs. VI, VIT and VHT.

First the curtain is wound onto the conical drum i and then the joint 21 oti' rope 16 is disconnected: and the joint 22 of rope 7 connected with the part of the rope Wound onto the drum l. Then the curtain is passed through the track rail A by turning` the drum 9. Before passing the curtain through said track rail A the shanks 19 and of the track rai ls; have; he moved: in the direction of the arrow in Fig. V. This is effected by the aid of a crank 23, the shaft 24: oi' which is threaded and engages correspond ing adjustable nuts connected With the shanks 19 and 20, said shanks being connected With the remaining portions of the track raiis A. and B respectively by hinges 25.

As stated above the ropes passing through the track raiis may remain in the same during the lowering of the ellipse-shaped portion of the track rails. This is efieCted by the following means, shown in Figs. VI, VU

'and VHT. The hinge ll of the track rail is connected 'With a siiding piece 26 adapted to slide up and down in a stay 27 which is attached to the bottom 2 and actuated by a screw-spindle 2 8 provided with a hand- Wheei 29. By this means the hnge ll can be raised and lowered. The :tere part 20 of the track rail may he moved toWards the conical drum Zt by means of ascrew spindle 30 journalled in bearings 31 and 32 and engaging a hearing 34 secured to part 20, so as to bring about an interspace between the adjacent ends of part 20 and the eihpse-shaped part, as Will appear from Fig. VII. Before iowering` the last-named part, the ro pe 16. should be slackened which is effected by turning the drum 1. The part 20 is adapted to slide in relation to the bearing engaging the screW-spindle fle.

" H the llipse-shaped parte, ot track rail&

A and E are to he lowered or raised. about the points 10 and in Fi a V, these points sh ouid be provided with. hinges similar to the hinges 3 4, ll and 12, and in this case the ropes 6 and 15. in Figs. l and 2 are to be connected With the track rails in the points 3 h 7 8 and ll, 12 w 35, 36 respectively. Also in this case the mechanism 30, 31, 32 34 is to he used, and disconneotibie rope joints to be inserted in the ropes 7 and 16 at points where they are needed.

Ti? the eilipse-shapedparts of the track rails are to be removed altogether, the hinges 3, i, 11 and. 12 shouid be provided With re movable hinge-boits.

If desired, the curtain or screen can ne p e at varying distance from the stageo ening While using a single track-13151, T is is eftected by the means i strated in X X, XI and The eilipse-shaged part of the track rail is Suspended froni acarriage by means of adjustabie hangers 37, 384 4:0, 41, 42 43. The' carriage consists ot four frameworks 5% 46 and 4:7 adapted to travel' hy means of roiiers on guiding bars 41.8 and 4:9. The carriage is actuated by a motor o-' by the hand, as for instance by windlasses 50, 51 and ropes 52, 53.. The straight parte of the track-rail is, Suspended from ropes 54:` 55, 56, 57 adapted to be Wound onto .roilers 58 and 59 and raised or lowered by means of the same. Said parts of the track: rail may be of varying length' so asto be adjusted to the varyng distance of the curtain or screen from the stage opening. The said straight parts are open at the top,vas shown by 60 in F ig. XI, in order that the rope may be easily inserted in the trackrail from the i conical drum 1 and then by means of rope joints connected With the rope passing through the ellipse-shaped part. Thedifferent parts of the track rail are connected' by the aid of hooks 61, Fig. XII and pins 62, Fig. XI.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is :e

1. A track rail for curved stage scenes, comprising a curved back portion of the track rail substantially in' the :form of half an ellipse, extending across the stage, the track rail being located in a downward sloping plane, means tor supporting and moving the scenes lengthwise in said trackrail,

and means engaging the track rail for adi justing the same to 'any desired. position. 2. A track rail for 'curved stage scenes, comprsing a curved back portion of the track rail' substantially in theform of half' an ellipse, extending across the stage, straight fore *portions 'of the track rail, means for supporting and moving the scenes lengthwise in said track rail, and means engaging the track rail for adjusting the same to any desired position.

3. A track rail for curved stage scenes,

comprising a curved back portion of the' track rail substantially in the form of half position.

'4. A track rail for curved stage scenes, compr sng a curved back portion of the track rail substantially in the form of half an ellipse, extending across the stage, the

track rail being located in a doWnWard sloping plane, straight fore portions of the track rail, traction means adapted to slide in the track rail and' supporting the scenes along their whole length, means for moving said tractio'n means, and eans engaging the track *rail for adjusting the same to any desred position. v

A track rail for curved stage scenes, comprising a curved back portion of the track rail substantially in the form' of halt' an ellipse, extending across the stage, the track rail being located in a doWnWard sloping plane, traction means adapted to slide in the track rail and supporting the scenes along their whole length, a rotary conical drum located near the' track rail, the tracton means being adapted to be Wound and unwound on 'the conical surface of said drum, and means engaging the track rail for ad ustng the same to any position.

6. A track rail for curved 'stage scenes,

comprising a curved back portionof the track rail substantially in the form of half an ellipse, extending across the stage, the track rail being located in a downward sloping plane, straight fore portions of thetrack rail, traction means adapted 'to slide in said back andfore portions, a rotary conical' drum located at 'the end of one straight fore portion, the traction means: `being adapted to be Woundand unwound on the conical surface of saiddrum, and means engaging the track rail for adjusting the same to any desired position. e

7. A track rail for curved stage scenes,

comprsng a curved back portion of the' track rail substantiallv inftheform' of half an ellipse, the track rail beinglocated in a doWnWard sloping p1an`e,'straight `fore portions of the track rail, a rotary conicaldrum located 'at the end'of one' foreportion, the' latter being swingable i relatively to the drum, .traction means supporting the scenes and adapted to; slide "in the to be Wound and unWound on said drum, and means for adjusting the track rail ertically and horizontally to any position.

8. A track rail for curved stage scenes,`

track 'rail 'and comprsing a curved back portion of the track rail substantiallyin the `form of half an ellipse, eXtending across the stage, means for supporting` and moving the scenes lengthwise in said track rail, and hoisting means engaging the track rail forraising and lowering any portion of the same towards the floor of the stage. I

A track rail` for curVed 'stage scenes, comprising a curved'back 'portion ot the track rail substantially in the form of half an ellipse, extending across the stage, the track rail being located in a downward sloping plane, means for supporting `and moving the scenes lengthw'ise in said track rail, and hostngmeans engaging the track rail for, raising and lowern any portion of the same towards the floor of the stage 10, A track rail for curred stage scenes,

comprising a curred back portion of thee track rail' substantially in the' form of half the stage, the 4 an 'ellipse, extending across track rail being located in a doWnWard slop ing plane, straight' fore portions of the track rail, traction means adapted to slide in the track rail and supporting the scene, means :tor noving said tra'ction means, and

hoisting means engaging the track rail for i raising 'and lowering any portion ot the same toWards the floor on the stage.

11. A track rail. for curved scenes` comprising acuryed back portion `of 'the track rail substantially in the form of `'halt' an e1lipse,;the trackrail being located-` in an ellipse, means for supper downv tions OJ. located letter l drum, trac track rail 2 tor moving fe e po c `l drum L md sup pcrting .J' i i tor raising 'l oi i track rail towards the f cer ci 12. -*c track rail tor curved stage scenes, coniprising a curved hack portion of the track rail sehstantially in t e form ot' halt and nis-; nt

the scenes lengthvvise in sall c disconnectihle means connectin; the hack portion With e remainng` par 's ot the track rail and' .oxving the removal ot the track rail from the stage;

, track rai for c'i L comprising cnrved ack portion of the track rail substantially in the 'l' rin of half an ellipse the tracl z rail hei-ng located in a downward sioping ,lane, means 'for supporting and moving` the scenes lengthwise in said track, and disconnectihle n ans connecting the said hack portion i ,h the remaining parte of the track rail and allowing the removal ot' the track rail treni the stage. i

l l. A track rail :tor curved stage scene, comprsng a curved back portion of the track rail snhstentially in the form. oi' hini: an ellipse, the track rail being' located in a downward sloping plane, straight to tions of the track rail, a conical cated the end of one fore porten 'or allowing swinging sidev a ter relatively to the drum, e. adapted to slide in the track rail and supporting the scenes, means 'for moving said traction means and means {or raising and lowering any portion of the tw Wards the 'floor ot the stage.

15. A track rail tor curved stage scenes, comprising a cnrved hack portion 0:? the track rail substantially in the 'form of halt an ellipse, the track rail being' located in a downward sloping plane, traction means adapted to slide in the track il and s1pporting the scenes, means tor traction means, means :ter adjnstii track rail to any position, and me allowing' seid traction me the track rail during the adjustn sa) i 16. A track .-ail ;tor curved scenes, comprisng` a curved back portion. ot the track rail substantially in the form of halt an ellipse, the track rail being located in a doWnWard sloping plane, straight fore portions of the track rail, traction means, adapted to slide in said hack and fore portions, a rotary conical drum located at the end of one straight 'fore portion, the tracton means being adapted to be Wound and opening suhstantiall in the form or half an ellinse .7 L 9 nnwound on said drum, meanstor raising and lowering any ortion oi' the track rall ts'fwards 'the 'floor ot the stage, and means lengthwise in'- the same, meanstor raisine; and lowering any portion of the rail to- Wards the floor ot' the stage, and means 'for allowing said raising and lowerng means to remain in connection With the track rail its movements.

In stages, means tor placing curved 0 io scenes at different distances from the stage comprising several track rails, lot diferen distances 'from the scene each having a curved hack portion extending across the stage, means connected With any track rail tor supporting and moving he scenes lengthwise inthe track rail, and means tor transterring the scenes from one track rail to another.

19. n stages, means 'for placing curved scenes at opening, cated at opening, mbete comprisi lg several track rails, lodifferent distances from the stage each having-a curved hack 'portion ially in the form of half an ellipse, ex' 'e.. across the stage, and each being located in a dmvnward sloping plane, means connected With any track rail tor supporting and movin the scenes lengthwise in the track rail, and means for transferring the scenes ?from one track rail to another.

20. In means tor placing curvcd scenes :lt difierent distances' from the stage opening, comprising several track rails, located at different distances from the stage opening, each having a curved hack portion snhstantially in the form of half an ellipse, entending across the stage, and each being located in a downward doping plane, trac tion means adapted to sld .e in each track rail and supportin the scenes, rotary conical drum located near the track rails, the traction means being` adapten to he vvond and nnwound on the conical surface of said drum, and means :tor transferrng the scenes and traction means from one track rail to another.

21. .ln stages, means tor placinn' curved scenes' at different distances from the stage opening, comprising any number ot track rails, located at different 'distances from the scene opening, each having a back portion snhstantially in the form of half an ellipse, straight fore portions of each rail, a rotory conical drum, located near the track rails, means tor swinging sideways straight means connected With said track F rail tor supporting and mo'vng the scenes difl'erent distances rom the stage fore tion rals means being adapted to he Wound and un- WOund on said drum, and means for trans-` 'erring the scenes 'and traction means from One track rail to another. 4

22. In stages, means tor placng curved scenes at different distanccs' from the stage Opening. comprsng a track ral'having a curved back portion suhstantally in the form o f half an ellipse, means forsupporting' and moving the scenes lengthwse in said track rail, and means for moving the track rail towards and from the stage opening" 23. A track rail for curved stage scenes', comprsing meansadaptedto slide in the, track an ellipse, the track rail being; located in downward slopng plane, means for supportsaid ,track rail, and 'means for moving the track rail towards and-fromfthestage 'opening. y a

2t.-A track rail for curved stage scenes',

comprisin a'curved back ortion of the a Z: 1

une form of half being located` in the track rail towards and fromthe stage V opening.

portions located near thedru'm, tracand sunnortin the scenes said traction .L a b 9 atter ben y a' curved back portion of the track rail substantally in the 'form of half mg and movng the scenes .lengthwise. in

plane, traction means 25.` Atrackral for curved stage scenes,

comprising a curvedtba'ck portion 'of the track 'rail suhstantially in the form of half .an eilpse, 'the trackralbeing located in a 'eWnWard slopng ons ot the track located plane, straight fore .por-` raiLa rotary conicjal drum at the end of one fore portion,`the i a ,swingable relatively to theu drum, tr on means supporting the' scenes and ada-pted to slide in the track rail` and to i be Wound and unwoundon the' drum," and a means for movng-the track rail towards t and. from the stage opening. 'r

'26. A track railor curved stage scenes, coi'nprsing a cur'ved .back portion of the track rail sutstantially in ;the form ofh alf g an ellipse, the track rail beng-located 7 in a do wnward sloping plane, straight 'fore p ortions of the track 'railhaving adjustable 3 length, means for raising and loweringgsuch to be wound and unwound on` the' drum, and

means" for moving the track rail towards, i 'and from the stage openng. v

In testimony Whereof I my signature' in presence of two witnesses'. I I

` MAX HASAIT. i Vitnesses: e

a p C. DAHL, 3 INEZBOERSON.

i straight fore pcrtons,` a' rotaryconcal drum u i t 

